Abstract
In tannery at beamhouse, hair burning liming wastewater is the most toxic substance, which has adverse impact on the environment. Treatment of hair burning liming wastewater begets substantial amount of solid waste termed as “sludge.” In this investigation, in situ prepared liming sludge from the hair burning liming wastewater is used for compost processing. The liming sludge is mixed with sawdust, cow dung, and chicken manure, piled onto a horizontal bamboo aerator. Three compost piles were built up weighing 650, 690, and 630 kg. Drastic temperature changes in piles were observed due to revolving the composting materials. The highest temperature generated in the piles was in the thermophilic range at 59.69 °C (pile#1), 64.41 °C (pile#2), and 63.36 °C (pile#3), respectively, which ensures the destruction of pathogenic microorganism. The heavy metals Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Cd, and Pb of the compost were analyzed, and the highest amounts found among the piles were 152.64, 21.20, 21.02, 6.93, 5.78, and 3.30 mg/kg, correspondingly. Moreover, the nutrient nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and sulfur of the compost fulfill the requirement of the investigated material as compost. SEM images indicate the degradation of composting materials. This study reveals that without any pre-treatment, the generated tannery liming sludge can be transformed into a value-added product with the use of a zero-waste approach.
Highlights
Emphasis on environmental conservation through recycling or safe disposal of industrial waste has become a major concern, especially for the developed and developing countries
This study is a testament to inventiveness towards sustainable management of hair burning liming sludge in tannery without any preliminary treatment or conditioning through bacterial composting
The results show that the pH, heavy metal and other nutrients of the compost were within the required beneficial level for the soil and plants
Summary
Emphasis on environmental conservation through recycling or safe disposal of industrial waste has become a major concern, especially for the developed and developing countries. Reutilization of industrial waste and by-products are popularly being adopted throughout the world. This allows recycling the waste and neglected materials and reducing the amount of unusable waste exposed to the environment. The tannery industry uses the hide or skin of animals, the by-product of the meat industry, as its primary raw material. The tannery industry is criticized throughout the world for its extensive waste generation. There is ample opportunity to employ recycling and safe disposal practices in case of the wastes originated in tannery industries as well
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